Blunt Force

  In this blog post, I'm going to talk about my review for  Lynda La Plante's Blunt Force, the 6th installment in the Tennison crime thriller series. This crime thriller would have you at the edge of your seat. It all started for Jane Tennison when she received a call about someone finding a gruesome corpse in West End. She arrived at the scene with her partner DS Gibbs when they interviewed people in the neighborhood. Then she discovered the dead body belonged to Charles Foxley, a prominent agent in the film and modeling industry. As they dug into his background, they learned about his shady childhood, how he worked in the agency, and his relationship with his ex-wife Justine. Literally, everyone hated him and had a potential motive to want to see him dead. While Jane and her squad dug deeper into his past, she also signed up for lessons in a secret Rifle Club and later learned why they needed her for a special operation to take down a corrupt cop before he strikes again. In the end, the shocking truth on who did it and why it had come to a head with a startling revelation that would leave you speechless.

 This crime thriller had me in suspense and kept me intrigued, though it took me a bit longer to read from my TBR pile.  I instantly cared for Jane who only wanted to do things right by tracking down the killer and discovering loose ends and taking care of unfinished business too. She's tough as nails and would stop to nothing to throw no punches to see that complex investigation through. Gibbs was a great partner and friend to her who always had her back.  I loved the West End neighborhood in London for the location and the scenic settings from the crime scene and beyond. The theme is that if you don't do all right by others, they would do the same to you in the end.

If you love nail-biting crime noir thrillers that leave you hooked on every page with non-stop drama, plenty of action and suspense, and lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing, Blunt Force is the one for you. Check it out today!

 

Paint and Nectar

 In this blog post, I reviewed Ashley Clark's Paint and Nectar, the second installment in the inspirational romance series. This beautifully written novel spans two decades with two families, past and present.  In the 1920s, a young watercolorist named Eliza Ravenel fell in love with William Pinckney, a naturally-talented pianist, when they first met. But like the Hatfields and the McCoys, their love was forbidden due to claims that his family stolen silver during the Civil War. Fast forward to the present day when Lucy Legare works at the art museum to preserve artwork like Eliza's watercolors and later inherits Eliza's home that someone mysteriously gifted it to her. From there, she learns about Eliza and William's love story through old journal entries and a cherished ring. A year ago, she went on a date with Declan Pinckney, while her mother played matchmaker to set her up with eligible men and never heard from him with him again, until he crossed paths with her.

 Through a secret courtship, they exchanged letters and journal entries via the fence between the two properties and shared their hopes, thoughts, dreams, and fears together. William wasn't expected to fall in love with Eliza since she was sent to forge her artwork for his boss. It wasn't part of the plan. When he refused to do another job, he was roughed up his boss's henchmen. To protect Eliza from his deepest secret and bodily harm, he had to leave her brokenhearted. After he left, she married someone else and started a family. The same happened to William too. For Lucy and Declan, they started seeing each other and discovering more about their great-grandparents lives inside the house, but the same feud for the silver would keep them apart, even Lucy's inherited home from Eliza.

Years later, Eliza and William meet again, both widowed with a child of their own, and picked up where they left off to discover their happily ever after in their home and how it was handed down from generations. For Lucy and Declan, would they share the same chemistry and get together against all odds to continue the same passion their ancestors had? They had to take a leap of faith and an act of God to make it happen and be all right for their happy ending.

This was a beautiful love story that my recap had to be longer than normal. I loved this story so much and how it could stand within the hands of time. I cared for Eliza and William, who had a classic romance when their families feuded for years, and were made for each other before they were split apart. I also adored Lucy and Declan, who cared for preserving art and architecture, and learning about the history between Eliza and William. Charleston, then and now, acted as a picture-perfect scenic location for the settings for both time periods that came to life. The theme for this story is love can move mountains and bring people together after they've been apart.

 If you love remarkable lovely inspirational romances that tugged your heart with non-stop action, plenty of  historical and present-day drama and tons of heart-stopping romance, Paint and Nectar is the timeless love story for you.

 

Faking It

 In this blog post, I'm going to talk about Jennifer Crusie's Faking It, the 2nd installment in the Dempseys contemporary romance series. This contemporary romance has plenty of chills, thrills, and everything in between including a dose of humor. Matilda "Tilda" Goodnight comes from a strong line of art forgers in her family and replicated six paintings under the name of Scarlet Hodge before she quit the business to become a muralist. When they've gone missing and already sold to other people, she needed to steal it back from Clea Lewis's home. It would help restore her family's gallery reputation and to pay with the finances. While hiding in a closet, she locked lips with a former thief named Davy Dempsey who had a lot going for him too. He wants his money back from Clea. Together, they joined forces to get what they want back while they helped each other out. But can someone keep a secret when a hit man, the FBI, and a killer was out to play? Besides that smoldering kiss, things did heat up between Tilda and Davy in the most intimate way to con others and to keep up the good faith while he'd gotten to know more about the Goodnights better. In the end, secrets and lies were on the line. And if they played their cards right, they might have everything they want in the end after all. 

This was a pretty hilarious and entertaining contemporary romance. I did like the pairing of Tilda, the art thief, and Davy, the con artist. They do make a hellluva of the team together. I cared for Tilda who's trying to do the right thing to keep the family secret from being exposed to the public and making a name of her own. She's down-to-earth, caring, and an overall well-rounded person who had her own scruples. Davy was her exact  equal and wanted a fresh start to make as well. I liked the location in Southern Ohio near the Columbus area including Temptation. It had an idyllic setting for the scenery in and around the towns. The themes of the story is that everyone had a secret to hide and one to keep while greed and revenge can ruin everything your heart desired. 

If you love captivating contemporary romances that keep you at the edge of your seat with non-stop action, plenty of drama, lots of suspense with a dollop of humor thrown into the mix, you'll enjoy Faking It for sure. 

 

Where Ravens Roost

 In Karin Nordin's Where Ravens Roost, the first installment in the Det. Kjeld Nygaard mystery series, this Swedish mystery debut will give you goosebumps and leave you at the edge of your seat. It all started for Kjeld, a suspended police detective from Gothenberg from a previous case, when his father called him about a discovery of a body in his rookery in Varsund. So he drove all the way and dealt with his father's Dementia and his sister's standoffish behavior when he haven't been home in visit his family in years. As he learned more about the dead body that was found in the hole, he begun to question his father's lucidity and learned more about the NorrMalm Mining Industries connection to their land and the Lindqvists, one of the richest families in Sweden, when he discovered family photos in a closed tackle box in the attic. Without trying to agitate his father's mental state, he dug closer and closer to the truth with a missing contract and a shocking twist in the end on what it could mean for him in the end.

 This was a gripping mystery debut that would boggle your mind. I cared for Kjeld, who have a lot on his plate, and haven't been a good husband to Bengt, and his daughter Tove. I loved how we had a bit of diversity to have the male lead being gay in this thriller series. I cared for Sara who could do so much and wish her husband would get a job and lend a helping hand. The location of Varsund Sweden had mesmerizing scenic settings from the rookery in the barn and to Norrmalm Industries. The theme of the story is that blood is thicker than water while old family secrets do tend to rear its ugly head.

If you like gripping mysteries with spine-tingling suspense with non-stop action, plenty of drama, plenty of intrigue, and lots of twists and turns, you'll be hooked when you read Where Ravens Roost today.

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Prepped

 In Bethany Mangle's Prepped, this stellar YA contemporary romance debut is so riveting and scintillating to hook you on the first page. All Rebecca Aldaine ever wanted was to graduate high school and then attend Carnegie Mellon University. But life wasn't easy when she lived in Tinker Peaks (aka Tin Peas), and part of a Doomsday prepper community that she grew up in. For eighteen-year-old,  she learned drills on how to survive in various situations with her family and other neighbors. Besides that, she's planning to move and leave Tin Peas for good. But when her father had ended up in a car accident that  placed him in a coma, her mother took control and wanted her to marry Roy Kang, her next door neighbor in the bunker next door, and later learn technical trade professions. So Becca had to plan to escape from Tinker Peaks by saving money and teaming up with Roy to how to deal with it all. When things get out of control with her mother, they needed to think of a way to escape and save her younger sister Katie after graduation in the process. Together, they broke free to start a new life together in college. 

This was a compelling YA contemporary romance debut. You learn so much about survival and how Doomsday preppers plan for the inevitable. I did care for Becca who wanted nothing more than to go to college and get out of the proverbial Dodge. But life got in the way when her father ended up in a nasty coma from that car accident.  I loved how she teamed up with Roy and how she'd put her needs second after her family to watch over her sister Katie. Tinker Peaks sounded like you're not typical Northeastern city in my home state of Ohio. Nothing out of the ordinary. And I loved how Roy made some other sacrifices while he cared for Becca and had grown to love her. The theme of the story, when life throws you lemons, be prepared for what might head your way.

If you love a great YA contemporary romance to give you all the suspenseful feels with non-stop drama, plenty of action, sparks of romance, and hints of intrigue, you'll be rooting for Becca as the underdog in Prepped today.

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